


A Beast or a Leader

by Lilly_River



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Blood and Gore, M/M, Slavery, Slow Burn, Violence, major death sorta
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-11 13:24:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17447813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilly_River/pseuds/Lilly_River
Summary: Link failed his quest, but with the last of her power, Zelda gave him a new mission. To SAVE Ganon.(First work published on this site, if you feel i have missed a tag that you feel would be beneficial, please leave a comment!)





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Prologue? Yay!  
> Hope You all enjoy this, i know i enjoyed writing it!  
> Short and sweet.... hopefully

Link crumpled at the far end of the room, clutching his chest, a large gaping slash pouring blood on the dirty tile. He glared up at the monstrous beast that was Ganon, the thing looking smug at all the damage he had inflicted. Not even Mipha’s Grace was enough to heal him. He had large gashes all around his body, and despite all the things he had brought along for this mission, all the powerful equipment he worked hard for, all his effort, he wasn't strong enough to defeat Ganon. He could barely walk, sadly from blood loss and two major slashes running down from his thigh to his calf on both legs. He forced his body up, his shield on the defense while he wobbled to hold up his sword. His vision was wavering, unable to focus.

Zelda’s voice screamed at him to stay awake, to fight Ganon, to try harder. It made him want to scream. He was so pathetic, he was the supposed hero that would save Hyrule, yet through everything, he wasn't going to save anyone, he was going to fail. The beast knew that too. It was laughing at him, triumphant and greedy. Link still stood his ground, he couldn't move but he could defend.

But the beast had other plans. It changed it’s pattern and to Link’s horror, began to charge a laser onto him. He couldn't parry it, let alone dodge. His idea to defend till he bled to death was over. The laser shot out, the hylian shield shattered on impact as he was knocked hard against the wall. His breath left his body and his skull cracked on the wall, he fell limp and the floor, a sitting rag-doll target, only able to watch, and watch he did. The blood pooled around him as the laser charged, its focal point centered on his chest, right where his stuttering heart lay. He looked up, watching the blinding light that must be Zelda seem to shrink away. He heard the laser before he felt it, but that didn't last for long. It was almost instant that he was suddenly encompassed in black. The laser must have hit its mark, killing him instantly, leaving a gaping hole in his chest.

Link just let the floating feeling engulf him, the feeling a nice change of tempo that he was used to. Maybe dying was the best outcome for him. He had never been very confident in his abilities. He hadn’t defeated Ganon 100 years ago, and he knew deep down that he was going to fail now.

“Link...” he sighed, his mind foggy and swirling. “Link... I’m sorry....” He smiled faintly, it sounded like Zelda, the voice light and beautiful. “Link... Open your eyes.... Please,” he groaned, everything was heavy, even his eyelids, he just wanted to keep drifting. “Please...” the voice ghosted past his ear, continuing to lull him out of his peace. His eyes slowly fluttered open, light of a single torch confusing him,it seemed to act as a beacon in the void, it helped him focus enough to listen to the voice drifting around him. “Link... Save him...” he let out a confused noise, his mind still too addled to process actual thought. 

“Link, you must save Ganon.” His eyes widened and he lost full consciousness.


	2. Chapter One: In a Strange Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Awakening after dying can leave you with many questions, and even less answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Gerudo language is from http://va-eheniv.conlang.org/gerudolang1.html , a very amazing website, i'm garbage at this but the author of this site is fantastic, i really recommend taking a look at it!

Link was awakened by a hiss. Short and melodious, but still slightly alarming. His body screamed at him when he tried to move. He groaned as he forced his eyes open, coming face to face with a... lizard. A completely harmless hightail lizard that seemed very intent on making him its sunbathing spot, which he only knew because its arm was mere centimeters away from his nose. He let out a small puff of laughter and then winced hard. The sound and movement made the lizard scurry off. Link didn't move still, that minor movement had sent wave of pain through him, so for now he would have to observe his surrounding while laying flat on his stomach. On the bright side he was near a dusty, sandy cliff where he could see a very good deal, on the down side... he was in Gerudo territory. From his limited head movement there were a few very major elements that worried him. He had the Wasteland tower on his right, completely nonoperational. From where he was he knew Naboris should be hovering menacingly over his prone form, not trudging around the desert, completely non destructive.

Possibly the most alarming thing was that there were no monsters... anywhere. No faint squabbles of the Lizalfos, no squawking of Bokoblins, not even the faint squirming of the Molduga under the sand.

There was the eerie silence of a world at peace. Link was absolutely terrified. By some miracle he must have been sent to... to some alternate... world? Diverting timeline? He didn’t know, all he knew was that something was very wrong. He lifted his arms to push up his torso and let out a sharp scream as blood poured onto the desert rock. All of his wounds were still intact... all except one. He wobbled to his knees, feeling the searing pain along the back of his legs. He looked down, his clothes in bloody tatters, to see a ragged, disgusting scar right on top of his heart. The fatal blow completely healed, but the others left to kill him again. He hissed as he continued to slowly rise onto his unsteady feet, feeling a slight bump on his right thigh. Once he was confident that he wasn't going to keel over, he looked down at his side and almost laughed. 

Of all the things he expected to keep, his sheikah slate wasn't one of them. He carefully reached down and plucked it off his belt, examining it. He was surprised it even still worked after that absolute abysmal fight. The screen lit up showing that the only thing he had been left with was some food, all of his clothes, his para-glider, and his rupees. He looked at the map to find it completely blank, none of his shrine abilities, none of his divine beast gifts, nothing. He sorted through the food and smiled. He had one fairy tonic, supposedly gifted by an unknown power that placed him here. It wouldn't heal his wounds completely but it would stop the bleeding till he could make some elixir that could. He drank it quickly, feeling remarkably better than before. His wounds still hurt, especially the ones on his legs, but he could move easier now.

And now that he could move, he had to do something stupid. He looked at the Wasteland Tower and grimaced. He had to see if his sheikah slate worked here and if he was going to have to buy a map somewhere. He sighed and began walking over to it, he didn't dare run so it was slow goings, examining his surroundings. He could see the great plateau and its tower. It seemed to be the only tower in his sight that was on, which did not explain why the wasteland tower was off. This was so confusing but he would figure out what was happening.

Or so he thought until he saw that the bog around wasteland tower was empty. He frowned, more than a little frustrated. The closest tower was miles away, possibly more now that he didn't have a map of the region to navigate the safest route. He sucked in a deep breath and closed his eyes. His next best bet was to make it to the Gerudo Canyon stable, there was a shrine that he could examine to get a little understanding of the situation. He opened his eyes and headed to the small rock outcropping. As he reached the wall, he pulled out his slate, quickly equipping his climbing gear, his body needed as little strain as possible. He scaled the wall slow and steady, secretly hoping that it was true that there weren't any monsters and that they weren't just hiding in wait for him to approach.

Or wolves. No wolves either.

But it would seem that this time was full of surprises because when he reached the top, minimal bleeding in the legs, there was still no monsters to be seen. Still very peculiar, still mildly alarming. He sighed, pushing his panic to the back of his mind as he viewed the surrounding. All he needed to do was find mount doom and then he could find the easiest direction to get to the stable.

He spotted death mountain and kept it on his shoulder as he walked to the edge, gazing hard at the distance. He frowned when he spotted the hazy visage of the stable.

It was dark. No sign of life. He bit his lip as he jumped off the cliff and pulled out his glider. He had to be careful, there was no telling when his strength would give out. His glide down was uneventful and peaceful. His panic kept rising at all the peace. He was so used to danger everywhere, for everything trying to kill him that... that peace was more terrifying than danger. He shook his head and focused on his task. He did a few free fall to glide maneuvers till he landed on a small part of the cliff side that housed the shrine. Which just as the tower, was off. He groaned as he trudged over to the shrine pedestal, looking at the dark tiles. The only thing that this meant was that they were completely offline. He halfheartedly waved his slate over the pedestal, not at all surprised when it was unresponsive. He shook his head and carefully sat down, trying to collect his thoughts. He would have to assume that every tower and shrine were like this. All except the one on the Great Plateau. It had been activated at some point so why was it disconnected from everything. He needed to...

Needed to...

Save Ganon.

Link’s eyes flew open. That was the last thing he heard before he was thrown back here. He frowned.

He needed to find out why the towers and shrines were not operational.

He needed to save Ganon.

Link squeezed his eyes shut, his mind fighting with itself and giving him a headache. He shook his head and stood up, opening his eyes to a too bright sun and barren canyon. He sighed and went over to the edge, looking at the stable. No fires, no music, no people. He glided down easily and stumbled when he landed, wincing. His wounds were not going to hold up to any more strenuous activity. He peeked into the stable, everything seemed... abandoned. Not old and decrepit but just abandoned. Like someone was going to come back any minute. It unnerved him and he wandered away. If the Stable was empty, the closest place was Kara Kara Bazaar. He looked out to the path he would have to take. A trip through the desert would be easier than trying to find another stable that was more likely abandoned just the same. In a quick movement he pulled out his slate, went to the clothes and equipped his desert voe attire with a sand boots change. He took in a deep breath, the wind burning his wounds. He needed to move fast but carefully. Even with his heat resistant clothing, he would fall to exposure due to his wounds. 

The trek to the edge of the canyon was easy enough at a steady pace, but the sight before him was daunting. The bazaar was surrounded in heat drenched sand and a burning sun. Link steeled himself and completely forwent his first approach. He started his jog to the bazaar, trying to ignore the wetness seeping into his clothing and the almost vomit inducing pain coursing through his body. With every step his destination came closer.

But the peace was here too. No monsters, no animals, no people. The only noise was the rhythmic thumping of a peaceful Naboris traveling throughout the territory. At his pace it only took a few minutes to reach the edge of the Bazaar. The place was just as abandoned as the stable. He slowed to a limping hobble around the small oasis. Aside from a few tents missing, it looked exactly the same. He looked at the large rock formation, peeking up the steps. It Still looked like an inn, but there were no wares and people. Just his luck. He needed someone to stitch his wounds up. He was so lost in thought that he failed to hear the pair and footstep and quiet voices till a gasp sounded behind him, startling him from his thoughts. He spun around, suddenly regretting that and doubled over, Letting out a cry of pain. Now it seemed every wound on him was open and bleeding. Suddenly there were two sets of hands on him. He looked up to see a pair of identical Gerudo twins, their emerald eyes wide with concern.

“And dast Zhénli bi chuka?” ”Hash af Zhénli bi?”

They spoke at the same time and his Eheniv was too rusty to make out what they were saying.

“I-I don't understand,” he murmured, hoping that they spoke Hylian, but he wouldn't be able to find out. The blood loss coupled with the immense agony had him collapsing and unconscious before their answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> essentially "How did you get hurt" and "Why are you hurt"
> 
> The grammar is terrible but im going to practice it in the future! 
> 
> Enjoy it? Hate it? Feel something need to be changed? Let me know in the comments below!


	3. Chapter Two: What is Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So much has changed, but all is the same. Can Link succeed or shall he fail just as before?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took me longer than i was expecting to write. As i write i am frequently looking at the physical game data, along with references for everything, i want to make this as close to reality as i can, but sadly the game has a few holes that are never filled and questions that are never answered, so because of those i am taking some creative liberty with it. And don't worry, soon i will explain what makes this time line so different.

Link’s eyes sluggishly opened, a warm red glow permeating his senses. He groaned and closed his eyes, the small amount of light being a bit too much for his sleep addled brain. Hushed whispers trickled into his ears, making them perk up. He tilted his head near the noise and opened his eyes slightly. There were two Gerudos sitting a few feet away from him, muttering to each other, seeming to be in a very heated discussion. He turned his head away and dared to open his eyes fully, happy that the light no longer hurt. As his brain became fully functional, so did his pain response. He gasped as his chest, back, and legs began to sting and burn. He pushed himself up on his elbow and looked down to see that his gaping slash across his chest was stitched up. It looked like perfect needlework.

“Little Hylian, you are awake!” He looked over to see one of the twin mere inches from him. His blue eyes widened as he shifted back a few paces, his ears dipping downwards. She smiled and let out a small laugh. “Do not fret little Hylian, you are safe!” Link looked her over, she seemed kind but she didn't seem much older than him, much too young to be traveling the desert alone without an es-

He scratched that thought. If it was true that there were no more monsters then there would be no need for an escort. “T-Thank you, um...?” He ended, looking at her imploringly.

“Oh! My name is Imika! And that-” she turned slightly, motioning to her twin, “Is Iseago, my sister!” She turned to face Link again. “And you?” Link smiled, pushing himself up. Imika was quick to assist him, her hands guiding him into a sitting position, pillows placed behind him to make the posture less strenuous.

“Link,” he answered. He glanced at Iseago, a sense of dread going up his spine. The way she looked at him made him feel like an... object or an animal. Imika smiled even wider.

“Link! It is very nice to meet you!” her smile dropped after that, her soft features taking a sheepish approach. “What brings a... Hylian so far from their home?” Link resisted the urge to tilt his head in confusion, it was as if she implied that... She faltered, looking a bit distressed which meant he had still tilted his head. “Not that there is any issue, it is not a normal occurrence to find one so far from the central boundary!” she quickly tried to explain. Link nodded his understanding, becoming more apprehensive as the seconds ticked on.

Link took a breath before answering, collecting his thoughts. Central Boundary could only mean two places, Hyrule Castle and surrounding area or the Great Plateau. He needed more context, but it seemed that he wouldn't be able to get any of that yet. He needed a map. “I don't... know where I'm from by name, but...” he stopped, biting his lip. Tread carefully. “But I might be able to... point it out on a map?” He hated the little lilt in his voice, unsure and childish. Imika smiled and stood up.

“Of course! I will go grab the map!” she turned around, walking towards the door quickly. She whispered something to Iseago as she left, both girls glancing at him, he pretended he didn't notice. He tousled with his hair, looking over his wounds again. They had done good work, the stitching even and close, allowing for a cleaner scar, he startled slightly as he saw a thick, beautifully quilted blanket over his lower half. His cheeks burned hot as he peeked down to see that he only had undergarments on. He had not paid enough attention to the full extent of his current state. Iseago crouched next to him, a frown on her lips. She clicked her tongue when he didn't respond, the noise making him turn to her sheepishly

“I will need to clean your wounds,” she informed. Link gave her a quizzical look and she huffed. “We have had you on your back since we fixed you. Your back and leg wounds must be cleaned,” she was moving him while she explained. In a few hard jostles he was on his stomach, a deep blush all the way up to his ears and shoulders. Iseago studied him for a second, he could see her expression out of the corner of his eyes. It was pinched in concern, a touch of fear in her eyes. He looked away, that fear wasn't for herself, he could tell. That was the same fear he had seen from all his friends the moment he announced that he was going to defeat Ganon. It was fear for him. He didn't understand, but he hoped that the map would clear up a few things. 

He hissed loudly as some sort of antiseptic cloth was pressed into his back. Iseago snorted but said nothing. Link tried to focus on something else, but it was difficult. He wasn't used things like this. Most of the time he would just throw on some bandages and call it good, and he remembered why he hated antiseptic. Despite being the supposed hero, he hated pain. Whenever he was in a fight he always tried to not get hurt, and to protect himself as best as he could. His thoughts were not helping at all. He sighed and laid his head to the side, looking at Iseago. “Is this place... Kara Kara Bazaar?” he had to start somewhere.

Iseago shook her head. “This is a one of the small encampments just outside of Gerudo Town,” She answered then leveled her eyes with his. Link tensed up. “We did find you at the bazaar, but we had to bring you here,” she added and Link visibly relaxed. Link looked at her again.

“Is it... really that strange to see a Hylian out here?” he asked, hissing as she moved onto his legs. Iseago sighed, but continued her work.

“Alone. It is strange to see a Hylian alone,” she paused and bit her lip anxiously, before continuing. “Especially one so... young and... hurt.” there was a long silence, Link growing nervous. If he asked the question bubbling on his mind, he could alert them of... of what?

It might just make him some uneducated Hylian who is ignorant of his situation, or it could just make him look naive. But he guessed either way he was a suspicious character to these girls so nothing could make this situation worse.

“Why?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly, nervous of what the answer would be. Her hand halted just above the dip of his knee and her breath hitched. He avoided her eyes as a strange sort of silence stretched. She opened her mouth to say something but Imika burst into the room, a large map in hand.

“I found it!” She announced, startling both of them. Either she didn't notice or ignored it as she plopped down next to his head, she spread it in front of him, allowing him a full view. His eyes widened, everything was exactly the same.

But oh so different. The territories all wrong. But his breath hitched as Imika pointed at what should be the Great Plateau. “That is the central border! That is where... you are from?” She asked, Link just stared at the map. He saw his home, or at least where he was raised in Castle town, but he also saw where he was born. His eyes lingered on the Korok Forest and he steeled his resolve. He lifted his hand and pointed at the middle of what should be the Great Hyrule Forest. Both twins gasped, confusion and fear in there voice. He looked at them, watching their expressions, but both girls kept their expressions neutral as they looked at each other, a seeming silent communication going on. Imika was the first to speak. “It is so late! I must go get food ready!” Iseago seemed frustrated with something as her sister got up and left the room quickly. Iseago looked at him again, that same fear in her eyes as before. Not for herself but for him.

“Your wounds are healing well. We must get you dressed and... and get prepared for dinner,” she said, already starting to drag him to his feet. He winced but let her manhandle him around. He gasped, his eyes going wide. 

“My things! Where are my thing?” He implored, looking at her a bit frantic. Iseago nodded slowly and ushered him over to a small chest. She opened it, revealing all of his clothing he had formerly been wearing. He bent over slowly sorting through his clothing till he found his slate and sighed in relief. 

“What is... That?” she asked. Link glanced at her, her body language suggesting she truly knew what it was. Link hummed.

“It’s, um...” he paused. How much did he want to say about it? It seemed she had seen one before, but she may only no its appearance. He was just going to go out on a limb and hope telling her things wouldn't turn out bad. “It’s a device that... lets me store information, and clothes.... And food i guess. It does... lots of things.” he said. He easily stored his clothing back into the device, sorting through to find something to wear. He paused as he saw her looking over his shoulder at the device, making him realize the height difference. She was at least 6 in taller than him. The Gerudo were a very tall race, dwarfing Hylians incredibly. He bit his lip. “Would you like to... look at it?” he asked, offering up the device. As much as running around in his underwear was embarrassing, it wasn't the first time he’d done it. His clothes weren't and imperative at the moment. Iseago looked at him quickly before carefully reaching for the device. Her fingers curled around the small handle and she looked at it mesmerized. “Have you seen this before?”

Iseago looked at him briefly. “Yes. Our Lord has one. I have never been this close to one, so it is very interesting,” she answered, humming a bit when she noticed the clothing section. She looked him up and down for a long moment. “So the clothes will... appear much like they... disappeared?” she asked. Link cocked his head a bit before understanding. He had put the sand boots desert voe items back into the device. 

“Yes, but I don't, um, think that anything will-”

“Why do you have vai clothing... little voe?” she asked, a smirk on her lips. Link blushed hard, his mouth opening and closing for a moment before he made a non committal noise and looked away, fidgeting. He couldn’t answer that, not this close to Gerudo Town. Iseago snickered before handing the slate back to him. “I will not judge. I will go make sure that dinner is ready, get dressed and we will bring it to you,” she said as she left the room. Link let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. That had been embarrassing. He quickly put on his old shirt and worn trousers, those articles could be bled on, and walked over to his makeshift bed. He sat down and pulled the map onto his lap.

So a main collection of Hylians were on the Great Plateau. He could make it, if he paced himself. Looking at the map, it looked like he could make it on two days, maybe even one with the lack of monsters. He looked over the map in more detail. The Great Plateau had a large dark border around it, so did the Great Hyrule Forest. He guessed that those were boundaries. Taking a closer look, it seemed like every race had their own boundary, The Gerudo having what looked like the largest. It stretched out over Central Hyrule and Faron. Necluda was split in half, one part going to the Gerudo and the other part with Lanayru. It was so strange. All the areas had thick lines encompassing them, he assumed it meant that they were borders. 

It was strange, he had never seen borders like this before, if ever. All the races had agreed that borders hindered progress. He wondered briefly how much conflict there was in this time, but he quickly shook his head and dismissed that thought. If he dwelled on the conflict it would get him nowhere. His eyes settled on the the forest. He wondered if the Great Deku Tree was still there, if the koroks left and stayed. So many questions. He would have some answered. He plotted a course, he would need to go to the Great Plateau, and then he would need to go to the forest. Two stops before he started his real mission. One he had absolutely no idea how to complete.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't even register that anyone had returned until Imika was snatching the map from him with a small laugh, replacing it with a steeping bowl of stew. Link blinked at them owlishly before coming to his senses. “T-Thank you,” he murmured, embarrassed. Imika just smiled at him, Iseago had gotten a contemplative look on her face, making him fidget. 

“Eat! You must eat to get better!” She insisted, holding her own bowl. Iseago had already started eating, small and collected while the moment Imika started eating it was like a wild beast. Link smiled faintly and slowly lifted the spoon to his lips, taking a small taste. He pulled it back, his mouth full a dazzling mix of spices, sweet and savory coming together perfectly. 

“This is delicious,” he announced quietly, making the girls both smile. He went back to eating, his body suddenly realizing it was absolutely starving. He tried to be as polite as possible s he ate, hoping that he wasn't being too loud. They ate in silence, Link ignoring how both girls watched him. It was odd but they seemed to just be curious. He hoped. When he was done he set the bowl down with a smile. “Thank you very much,” he offered.

“You are very welcome!” Imika responded, her own bowl joining on top of his. He made to stand up but instantly his head swam hard. He faltered forward and Iseago quickly caught him, her eyes wide. She leveled her sister with a look and that same fear returned to her gaze. Link immediately knew what had happened. They had laced the soup. Iseago helped lay him down in the bed, concern flooding her features. Imika was at his feet pulling up the blanket to cover him. The sisters were shooting each other heated looks, but his mind was already drifting away. He had only been drugged a few times in his life, and all of them were unpleasant. Imika shrugged Iseago out of the way, settling at his side, the former leaving the room visibly irate. Link’s eyes felt heavy as he looked up at her. She brushed a few strands out of his eyes and smiled. “Sleep little Hylian. Everything will be better in the morning,” she promised. Link doubted that. He bet that some guards would remove him tomorrow, possibly take him to the Central Boundary, or just throw him in a cell. He couldn't really focus on that thought, any really. His eyes closed and his mind seemed to drift away, and within seconds, sleep yanked him into the depths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, for those that aren't as crazy about the Zelda series as i am, i am going to clarify a few things. So how i picture breath of the wild is that its part of the Fallen Hero Timeline, so it happens in the vicinity of Link failing in Ocarina of time. That is just how i picture it, doesn't mean it's 100% true or anything (I would love to debate all of your theories!) it's just how i picture it. In Ocarina of time Link lives with the Kokiri, so i'm just being a dork and making him being born in the korok forest. Now i know that Link has a father, but he is only referenced once and there is no conclusive evidence of who he is other than part of the royal guard. So i'm making assumption and creating a theory of my own about Link and his father. I'll go in way more depth later in the story, but i just wanted to give a snap shot of what i am going off of!
> 
> Enjoy it? Hate it? feel something need to be changed? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
> 
> p.s. i literally dyed every article of clothing pink and now doing clothing descriptions is ridiculous


	4. Chapter Three: Towards The Horizon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A building is only as safe as its' owners, so what is this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your words of support, it makes my day when i see your comments so thank you!
> 
> To be completely honest, i don't like this chapter. It's one of those things that had to be finished for more to come but i'm not confident in it. So maybe later i will change it to something that i like more but as of right now this is pretty meh.
> 
> But if you guys like it that's good! You know what they say, you're your own worst critic. 
> 
> Oh, and the powder thing? Personal experience. I had a mud fight up in a red clay area and you get so powdery after that it's crazy

Link groggily groaned as he was shaken hard. His eyes opened and he looked confused at the Gerudo above him. He made a small noise of confusion, his brain still not fully functioning. Iseago huffed and quickly pulled him into a sitting position, a cup of liquid pressed to his lips. He compliantly took a few gulps before pushing it away and gagging, coughing hard. The stuff was absolutely atrocious. His mind was instantly aware of its surrounding. He looked at Iseago with wide blue eyes, his body scooting away quickly. Iseago sighed in relief.

“Come, you must leave,” she said, reaching for his arm. Link made sure he was out of reach.

“What’s going on? Why... Why did you drug me?” He glared at her, she halted and looked away.

“Imika... she put it in your food after I had left. There...” She bit her lip. “There is a bounty... a bounty on bringing in a Hylian much... much like yourself.” She murmured. Link frowned.

“A bounty?”

“Yes... Our king... he’s had the bounty out for centuries, but...” she looked down at her hands. “But...” She couldn't finish. Link sighed, looking around the room, he wondered where Imika was.

“Where is Imika?” He muttered, slowly getting to his feet. Iseago followed.

“She is... reporting to the Gerudo Town Council...” She answered. Link went over to the chest, happy to see that his slate was still there. He grabbed it and looked back at her. 

“Why... do you want me to leave. There's a bounty right? Why not let her turn me in?” He watched her closely, noticing her body stiffen up. She took in a deep breath, her hands fidgeting in front of her. 

“B- Because it’s wrong! Hylians already have a hard enough time, if I can help one Hylian child then...” She trailed off, her eyes locking with his. “Please, I know what my sister did was wrong but let me help you, you must escape.” She had a determined gleam in her eye, it reminded him of Urbosa and his heart made a painful ache. He sighed and turned fully towards her, crossing his arms. 

“What is your plan? Send me out and-” Iseago shook her head hard. She reached out and grabbed his arm quickly and yanked him out of the room. He let out a loud yelp, completely at a loss for words. It didn't take long before she stopped in a large room, it was dimly lit by two torches, it seemed like a place to wash. There was a large tub, but the water was a deep red. “What... what is that?” He had a feeling she wanted him to get into that. 

“It is a type of hunting mixture, we cover ourselves in it and then it hides our sent, it also temporarily coats the skin and hair in a powder,” She explained. She was bustling about the room, seemingly looking for ingredients. Link watched her a bit confused.

“It... It coats? The skin?” he asked, looking at the tub. “T-that... that seems... wrong. I can't-” Iseago cut him off.

“You must, Link. You need to make it back home, but you won't make it far looking like...” she motioned to him. He shook his head hard.

“It would be... offensive, Iseago. I-” He looked back at the tub, but Iseago grabbed his face. He looked at her, her face stern.

“In a time of need, you must do what you need to, to survive. Link, My Lord wants a Hylian like you, so to stay out of his hands you must not BE the Hylian he wants,” She urged. Link withered under her stare, he looked at the tub for a long moment.

“Will... will it really be okay?” he murmured to her. She smiled lightly and nodded. 

“All it will do is add a fine layer of powder to your skin and hair when you are dry, like if you rolled around in the sand outside, and you will only need to keep it that way until you reach your home,” she reassured. Link sighed and nodded, resigning himself. He looked at the tub and pulled out his slate, returning his worn clothes. “I will get some items for your trip,” she said, Link grabbed her arm quickly.

“Wait! What do you mean by home? The Ce-”

“The Dark Forest. You must get to the Dark Forest, not even my Lord dares go there,” she said, carefully removing her arm from his grasp. She left quickly, leaving Link alone. He turned back to the tub, slowly walking over to it. He dipped a finger in, pulling it out to look at the coloring. It was a deep red, similar to a mix of summerwing butterflies and warm darners. He sighed as he pulled off his undergarments and carefully climbed in, The water was cold, but he gritted his teeth and grimaced as he lowered himself into the water. He watched the murky water ripple around him. With one big gulp of air, he plunged under the water, keeping his eyes closed.

His mind wandered as he let himself soak in the concoction. Iseago must mean Ganon when she says ‘Lord,’ which must mean that... that Ganon must be a King of sorts. He frowned, pondering that. Urbosa had mentioned that before Ganon became the Calamity, he was a Gerudo much like herself. The Gerudo never kept much record of the male rulers, mostly just a name. It was so rare that a male be born that most kings faded from existence, only known in legend. He tried to recollect more of what Urbosa had spoken of, but it was so hazy. 

If he was able to make it to the Korok Forest and if the Great Deku Tree was still there, he would get more answers. The Deku Tree knew almost everything. 

Link shot up from the water, sputtering and coughing. He had lost all track of time and just about drowned himself. He gulped in large lungfuls of air as he began to climb out of the tub. Iseago rounded the corner fast, her arms full of clothing, both of them just about screaming at the sight of each other. Her eyes were wide and Link sunk back into the tub, both of their faces going bright red. There was a moment of awkward silence until she gasped, suddenly remembering why she had rushed in.

“Quickly, get out of the water and-” she paused, pulling out a small pouch, setting the bundle of clothes and the pouch on a chair near the door. “Sprinkle the dust in the pouch on before putting on the clothes,” she said before leaving quickly. Link did a quick dunk under the water before scrambling out of the tub. He walked over to the pouch, feeling terribly exposed, and picked it up, surprised at how light it was. He opened it up and peeked inside.

His stomach churned hard at the fine colorful powder. A mix of pastel pinks, purples, blues and greens with a sweet smell that was distinctly from a Silent Princess. He knew instantly that this powder must be from the Eldest Great Fairy’s Fountain. He tried to push the dark thoughts away but it was hard. As much as the Creature terrified him, she was also much like a friend. 

A really weird friend. He would need to ask Iseago why this was important, but later. He needed to suck it up and... and douse himself in his friends home. He stuck his hand into the pouch and grabbed a handful, holding it over the top of his head. He sucked in a deep breath, squeezing his eyes closed, and began to sprinkle the handful on himself, feeling the liquid on his skin instantly dry. When his hand was empty he opened his eyes and let his hand fall. His body was dry, and true to her word, he was covered in a reddish powder.

It was similar to when he was a child and went to play in the dirt around Castle Town. He rubbed his fingers together, watching as powder drifted off of them. One wash and he would be clean. He set the pouch down and picked up the clothes, mildly confused. It was all a deep forest green, consisting of a cropped tunic and a sirwal. He slipped on the tunic, the fabric only going to his waist, happy that it truly did fit him nicely. It was embroidered with a brilliant gold with a large insignia of a boar on the back, That was disconcerting but he guessed it had something to do with the Gerudo. When he stepped into the sirwal, he was less thrilled. It sat at the same height as the ones he already had, just barely on his hips. He grumbled a bit but ultimately, he had no other choice. The sirwal was embroidered with the same gold as the tunic, but it had a strange double crescent moon pattern to it, the pattern an emerald green with gold embroidery. A deep blue and maroon belt was the final piece. He looked down at himself, more than happy that the clothing fit. He would just have to wait till he got to mote around the forest to change. He stepped over to where he had put his slate down and clipped it into the belt and grabbed the pouch that she had given him. He sighed and stretched before leaving the room, pausing to slip on a pair of black boots, sadly not sand boot, following the gentle sound of Iseago’s mumbling into a large entryway. She looked at him as he entered, smiling.

“You look very nice, Link. I am almost done with your things,” she stood up and beckoned him over. He complied and looked down at the small bag, more than a bit curious. “There is enough provisions for one week, more than enough time to get to the Dark Forest,” she smiled picking up the bag, holding it out for him. “There is a map, but don’t take it out till you have reached where the Gerudo Canyon and the Central Boundary meet. From there, i have created the safest route to the Dark Forest,” she explained, smiling. She pulled out another pouch while carefully grabbing the one already in his hand. Now that he was in a better lit area, the pouch that he had just been holding was a soft white while the new one was a deep red. “If the powder washes away you must soak again. The red pouch has the mix, then use the white pouch to dry,” he nodded in affirmation as she slipped them into the bag. Link took it from her, surprised at the weight. He felt that she had never traveled very far before, the bag feeling like it had a months worth of provisions in it. 

“Thank you, Iseago. Th-” she cut him off with a shake of her head. 

“Please, do not thank me. Just make it to your home safe,” she ordered softly. Link nodded and she ushered him to the door. “Head North East from here, do not stop at the bazaar, there will be guards all over it. Once out of the Canyon stay off the main roads and do not trust strangers. My Lord has many people under his influence,” she added quickly. Link nodded in understanding as he slung the bag over his shoulder.He looked back at her one last time.

“You’ve been very kind,” he murmured, “Don’t fight with Imika over this. She was only doing what she thought was right,” he added before setting out. Iseago smiled sadly as he left before going back inside. Link sighed, the first rays of sun peeking over the horizon, he needed to get moving fast. It was chilly out still, but it would be getting hot fast. He viewed his surroundings, seeing the wall of Gerudo town about 200 feet away. The small home that Iseago and Imika had was surrounded by many others, like a small town outside of the walls. He faintly understood that Gerudo Town must be overpopulated, which made sense. In his time the Gerudo were starting to branch out more so as to lessen the burden on the town. He hummed a bit and looked out to the large canyon walls, seeing the tell tale form of the tower in the distance, the tip peeking over. If he needed to avoid the bazaar, his safest bet was to go towards the tower then follow the wall till he reached the gateway.

With a plan in his head he started on his trek, going at a steady trot out into the desert. He had forgotten how hard it was to run in the sand, how much more energy it used. He wished he could use his sand boots but he knew better. Iseago had given him clothes that seemed similar to what the Gerudos wore, making him less noticeable, or he hopes so. He wasn't entirely sure, but he trusted her. She was sacrificing a lot to help him. He could only guess that Imika had left to report him and when she returned something bad would happen. He couldn't dwell on that. He had nothing that could help them and his heart clenched painfully at that. He was powerless here, at least until he got a weapon. He paused, his chest heaving. He was almost to the wall. He hated running on sand like this. He took a quick look at his surroundings, smiling as he saw the large bones of the Leviathan. He remembered when he first saw them, how absolutely amazed he had been by them, and how Zelda had been so frustrated with him. The entire time he was in the desert that day he would ask her questions and she always responded weather she knew the answer or not. He felt his eyes begin to water and cursed himself, trying to dry them out. The last thing he needed was tear streaks because he couldn't keep his feelings in check. He needed water, he was getting stressed out and needed to cool his head. He walked parallel to the skeleton. He smiled as he saw a hydromelon plant and jogged over to it. He grabbed one melon and jogged back over to the skeleton, grabbing one of the fragmented pieces. 

In a quick motion the melon was open and the inside scraped to a pulp. 

With his meal done and a once over saying that his powder was still in place he quickly completed the rest of is jog just before what he assumed was noon. He smiled and looked back at where he had come from, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Now all he had to do was get to the other side of Hyrule. He let out a nervous laugh and began to follow the wall back to the gateway. It was an easy trip, no monsters and people anywhere. Thankfully some bugs had begun to surface so he had the gentle hum of a couple of Warm Darners following him. He watched them buzz around his head, most of the time flying forward and then waiting for him to get closer before repeating over and over. When he finally hit the gateway, they scattered, leaving him in silence. He looked at the shaded path that was the Gerudo Canyon and squared his shoulders. 

To the Korok Forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... the deed has been done. How as it? 
> 
> Again, this chapter had to happen for more to come cuz i cant just time skip. Well i could but i'd rather not.
> 
> Love it? Hate it? Feel something needs to be changed? Leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you.
> 
> P.S. How ever does one describe a character that was never in the actual game?

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy it? Hate it? Feel things need to be altered? Please leave a comment! i'd love to hear feedback!


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